HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Earn the Right to Link

Earn the Right to Link is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: A staged ramp where you contribute pure value for weeks before ever mentioning your product, so the community sees a real member rather than a drive-by marketer.

It's a strong fit for teams of almost any kind, and works especially well for any founder with a brand-new or low-karma account. As a reddit & forums play, plan for high effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 4 linked primary sources.

Reddit & forumsHigh effortSlow

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

Reddit's algorithm and its communities both reward consistent authentic participation, so a track record of help buys you visibility and goodwill that a cold account can't fake.

The exact steps (5)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
Any / universal

Frequently asked

How is the "Earn the Right to Link" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 4 primary sources — real founder write-ups and interviews, not generic advice. They are linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original accounts yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is high effort, and results tend to be slow.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via No-Ban Playbook 2026 and Indie Hackers Launch Strategy 2025, is in the paid library.

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